Osteospermum plant named ‘Lanapal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Lanapal’, characterized by its compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; inflorescences with soft pink-colored ray florets; and tolerance to high temperatures.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Botanical denomination: ‘Lanapal’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lanapal’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Tiptree, Essex, United Kingdom. Theobjective of the breeding program was to create new Osteospermumcultivars with uniform and freely branching plant habit, unique andattractive floret coloration, and tolerance to high temperatures.

The new Osteospermum originated from a cross-pollination during thespring of 2002 of an Osteospermum ecklonis seedling selection identifiedas code number 09-49-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parentwith an Osteospermum ecklonis seedling selection identified as codenumber 18-21-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newOsteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grownin a controlled environment in Tiptree, Essex, United Kingdom in 2003.The new Osteospermum was selected on the basis of its freely branchinghabit, attractive ray floret coloration and tolerance to hightemperatures.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal vegetativecuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Lanapal has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Lanapal’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Lanapal’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded        plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Inflorescences with soft pink-colored ray florets.    -   5. Tolerant to high temperatures.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in ray floret coloration.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the cultivarAkope, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,684. However, in side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Tiptree, Essex, United Kingdom, plants of thenew Osteospermum differed from plants of the cultivar Akope in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more compact than plants        of the cultivar Akope.    -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more freely branching        than plants of the cultivar Akope.    -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more outwardly spreading        than and not as upright as plants of the cultivar Akope.    -   4. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the cultivar Akope        differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar        Akope had lighter pink-colored ray florets.    -   5. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the cultivar Akope        differed in disc coloration as plants of the cultivar Akope had        brown-colored discs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Osteospermum showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newOsteospermum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Lanapal’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘Lanapal’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Osteospermum has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Tiptree, Essex, United Kingdom in aglass-covered greenhouse and under typical production practices. Plantswere about five months old when the photographs and description weretaken. Plants were grown in 15-cm containers and were pinched one time.During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 19° C.and night temperatures averaged 14° C. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Lanapal.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Seedling selection of Osteospermum            ecklonis identified as code number 09-49-01, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Seedling selection of Osteospermum            ecklonis identified as code number 18-21-01, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate rooting.—About two weeks at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one month at 20°            C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous container            and garden plant. Compact, upright, somewhat outwardly            spreading and mounded plant habit. Freely branching habit,            about five primary lateral branches and numerous secondary            lateral branches. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.        -   Plant width or area of spread.—About 14 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About            4 mm. Internode length: About 3 mm. Aspect: Upright and            somewhat outwardly spreading. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Sparsely pubescent. Color: 143C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;            sessile. Length: About 4.7 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape:            Oblanceolate to obovate with protruding points. Apex: Acute            to obtuse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire with six protruding            points. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface:            Sparsely pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Smooth,            glabrous; towards the margins, sparsely pubescent. Color:            Developing foliage, upper surface: 143A. Developing foliage,            lower surface: 137D. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            137B; venation, 143B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface:            137C; venation, 143C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Solitary terminal and axillary inflorescences            held above and beyond the foliage on strong peduncles.            Composite inflorescence form, radially symmetrical, with            narrowly oblanceolate-shaped ray florets and disc florets            massed at the center; ray and disc florets develop            acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences persistent.            Inflorescences face mostly upright.        -   Flowering response.—Early flowering; plants flower            continuous and freely from the late spring until the early            autumn in the United Kingdom.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about two weeks on the plant.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering; at one time,            about five to six inflorescences per lateral stem.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About            9 mm. Shape: Broadly elliptic. Color: 144B; towards the            apex, 143C.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 2.9 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm. Receptacle height:            About 1.3 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.7 cm.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 7.5 mm.            Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Apex: Praemorse. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Orientation: Initially upright            then about 70° from vertical. Number of ray florets per            inflorescence: About 20 in one to two whorls. Color: When            opening, upper surface: 12C tinged with close to 48D;            towards the base, 49C. When opening, lower surface: 10A;            longitudinal stripes, 177A to 177B. Fully opened, upper            surface: 11C tinged with close to 35D; towards the base,            50D; longitudinal stripes, 55A to 55B. Fully opened, lower            surface: 162A; central band, 165A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed.            Length: About 5 mm. Width: At apex: About 1.5 mm. At base:            About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About 85. Color: Immature: 65C. Mature: Apex: N92A.            Mid-section: 65A. Base: 145D.        -   Phyllaries.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm.            Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent.            Number per inflorescence: About 16 in a single whorl. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 143A.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5.4 cm. Length,            fourth peduncle: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:            Terminal peduncles, mostly upright; axillary peduncles about            28° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture: Sparsely            pubescent. Color: 143B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Stamen number: Five per floret; fused around style.            Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2.5 mm.            Anther color: N92C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            N25B. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.            Pistil number: One per floret. Pistil length: About 7 mm.            Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma color: 186A to 186C. Style            length: About 6 mm. Style color: 145D. Ovary color: 145D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and/or fruit production has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermums has not been observed on plants grown under commercial    greenhouse or outdoor conditions.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C. to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Lanapal’, asillustrated and described.